One vehicle which got some press recently at the Frankfurt Motor Show is a new concept from Opel, which is a German subsidiary of General Motors. It is a range-extended electric vehicle, much like the Chevy Volt, but instead of making use of a gas generator to provide additional power to the electric propulsion, it is fueled instead via natural gas.

The recently completed Interbike trade show in Los Vegas, Nevada showcased many related personal mobility offerings. One of those drawing some attention from the more technology focused lovers was Shanghai New Century Robot which, under its X-Robot label, showcased a two-wheeled transporter known as the i-Robot SC.

Algae-derived biofuel can reduce life cycle CO2 emissions by 50 to 70 percent compared to petroleum fuels, and is approaching a similar Energy Return on Investment (EROI) as conventional petroleum according to a new peer-reviewed paper published in Bioresource Technology. The study, which is the first to analyze real-world data from an existing algae-to-energy demonstration scale farm, shows that the environmental and energy benefits of algae biofuel are at least on par, and likely better, than first generation biofuels.

Much of the hype around BMW with low carbon transportation right now is the to market plans of its i8 plug-in hybrid and i3 electric car, but the automaker is also making steps in greening other parts of its mobility inventory as well. One area in which this is happening is scooters, with news that its new C evolution electric scooter will debut in Europe next year.

The Solar Impulse HB-SIA that hop-scotched across America earlier this year, finishing its epic, sun-fueled cross-continent journey in early July, has since been broken down, packed into a jumbo jet and returned to Europe. An ocean was too big a hurdle for this plane – but come 2015, things could be different for the Swiss team of adventurers.

By analyzing the distinctive cracks lining the icy face of Europa, NASA scientists found evidence that this moon of Jupiter likely spun around a tilted axis at some point.
This tilt could influence calculations of how much of Europa's history is recorded in its frozen shell, how much heat is generated by tides in its ocean, and even how long the ocean has been liquid.

In case you haven’t been paying attention to the news, it rained in Colorado last weekend. Normally, this isn’t a newsworthy event, but it just so happens that we got about 3 months worth of rain in 48 hours. Rain that fell on mountain forests still scorched and bare from this summer’s wildfires. The result was catastrophic flooding along the Front Range.

It’s less costly to get electricity from wind turbines and solar panels than coal-fired power plants when climate change costs and other health impacts are factored in, according to a new study published in Springer’s Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences.

Voltaic Systems, one of the leading makers of solar-powered gear, recently announced the addition of a new solar panel to their prolific line of products. The newest sun-harvesting gadget is a 6 Watt, 6 Volt panel the company claims is the perfect size for charging larger smartphones and 7″ tablets.

EarthTechling has featured dozens of breathtaking living walls, green roofs, and vertical gardens. This living landscaping helps turn unsightly buildings into works of art while also cleaning the air and reducing surface flooding. But at the end of the day, most of these installations are still, well, decorative. Not so with the Pasona Urban Farm in Tokyo.

Honda has begun rolling of its Marysville, Ohio plant assembly line the first of its 2014Accord Hybrids. The four-door sedan, which is its first hybrid produced in this state, looks as if it will carry a very impressive, EPA-rated fuel economy of 50 miles per gallon in the city.

A new study appears to back up the idea that building more wind power in order to meet peak demand – even if the turbines sometimes produce more energy than the grid needs – could be a better strategy than spending resources on trying to store the energy in batteries.

A good pair of jeans should be treasured. You know, that pair that fits perfectly, time-worn to fit comfortably while still looking good. The pair you’ll wear long after they develop holes in both knees, just because you love them so much. Unfortunately, most denim brands use resource-intensive processes that utilize a lot of nasty chemicals, putting workers and the planet at risk.

With the Frankfurt Auto Show now under way, the green vehicle debuts, among other offerings, continue to roll along. One of these comes from Toyota luxury brand Lexus, showcasing its new LF-NX advanced crossover concept with a full hybrid powertrain option.

Audi will be unveiling at the Frankfurt Auto Show this week what it says could be the legitimate successor to its popular Sport quattro, which itself was first unveiled in Frankfurt in 1983. The new Sport quattro concept, in keeping with the times of more and more vehicles adding green technology, will have under the hood a plug-in hybrid drivetrain.